Overland Pass natural gas liquids pipeline draft environmental impact statement

2007·301.5 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Wyoming State Office

BLM LIBRARY
88067788
United States Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Cooperating Agency: U.S.D.A. Forest Service
Overland Pass Natural Gas Liquids Pipeline
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Wyoming State Office - Rawlins Field Office
March 2007
MISSION STATEMENT
It is the mission of the Bureau of Land Management to sustain the health,
diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of
the present and future generations
BLM/WY/PL-07/012+5101
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United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Take Prude™
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WyomingState Office
P.O. Box 1828
Cheyenne,Wyoming 82003-1828
1790 (030)
WYW-166510
Dear Reader:
This Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)for the Overland Pass Natural Gas Liquids
Pipeline Project (OPP) is submitted for your review and comment. The DEIS has been prepared
to analyze the potential impacts of granting a Right-of-Way (ROW) for the purpose of
constructing and operating a 760 mile natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline as applied for by the
Overland Pass Pipeline Company, LLC (Overland Pass). The proposed pipeline would originate
in Opal, Wyoming and terminate in Hayes, Kansas. Approximately 16 percent of the total
pipeline would be located on Federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) and the U.S.D.A Forest Service (USDA-FS) in Wyoming and Colorado. No Federal
lands in Kansas would be affected.
Printed copies of the DEIS are available for review at the BLM and USDA-FS offices listed
BLM
below. The DEIS is also available for review and downloading from the website at:
www.blm.gov/wv/st/en/info/NEPA/ifodocs/overland pipeline.html
BLM BLM
Wyoming State Office Rawlins Field Office
5353 Yellowstone Road 1300 North Third
WY WY
Cheyenne, 82009 Rawlins, 82301
BLM BLM
Rock Springs Field Office Kemmerer Field Office
280 Highway 191 North 312 Highway 189 North
WY WY
Rock Springs, 82901 Kemmerer, 83101
USDA- FS USDA-FS
Pawnee National Grasslands Ashley National Forest
2150 Center Ave., Bldg E Flaming Gorge
Fort Collins, CO 80526 Ranger District
or 25 West Highway 43
660 O Street Manila, UT 84046
CO
Greeley, 80631
2
All public meetings or other involvement activities for the OPP project will be announced to the
BLM
public by at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media news releases, web site
BLM
announcements, or mailings. will not hold any formal public hearings on this project.
This DEIS analyzes three alternatives in detail: the Proposed Action, the No Action alternative
BLM
and the Southern Energy Corridor alternative. Under the Proposed Action, the would
ROW
accept the proponent’s the activities and infrastructure as described in their application and
ROW
grant across the Federal lands. This alternative proposes that Overland Pass would
construct and operate a 760-mile pipeline to transport NGL from Opal, Wyoming, to Conway,
Kansas. Much of the route would follow existing energy pipeline conidors.
ROW
The No Action Alternative for this project would mean that the application would be
rejected by the BLM and the ROW across Federal lands in Wyoming and Colorado would not be
granted to Overland Pass. The third alternative, the Southern Energy Corridor - Copper Ridge
Bypass deviates from the applicant’s proposed route described in their application and follows a
different existing pipeline near Rock Springs, Wyoming. The BLM’s preferred alternative is the
Proposed Action.
If you wish to submit comments on the DEIS, we request that you make them as specific as
possible. Comments are more helpful if they include suggested changes, sources, or
methodologies. Comments that contain only opinions or preferences will be considered and
BLM
included as part of the decisionmaking process, although they will not receive a formal
response.
Comments will be accepted for forty-five (45) days following the Environmental Protection
BLM
Agency’s (EPA) publication of its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The can
best use your comments and resource information if received within the review period. Please
send written comments to:
Bureau of Land Management
Attention: Tom Hurshman, Project Manager
2465 South Townsend Avenue
CO
Montrose, 81401
You may also submit comments electronically at the address shown below. Please put
“Overland Pass Pipeline” in the subject line.
[email protected]
This DEIS was prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other
regulations and statutes to address the environmental and socioeconomic impacts which could
result if this project is implemented. The DEIS is not a decision document. Its purpose is to
inform the public and interested parties of impacts associated with implementing the proponent’s
3
ROW
pipeline proposal associated with obtaining a grant to construct and operate a pipeline
across Federal lands. This DEIS also provides information to other regulatory agencies for use
in their decisionmaking process for other permits required for implementation of the project.
Comments including names and street addresses of respondents will be available for public
BLM
review in their entirety at the Rawlins Field Office at the address shown above during
regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays.
Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your address from
public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this
prominently at the beginning of your written comment. Such request will be honored to the
extent allowed by law. All submissions from organizations or businesses and from individuals
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses will be made
available for public inspection in their entirety.
A copy of this DEIS has been sent to affected Federal, State and local government agencies, and
to those persons who have indicated that they wish to receive a copy of the DEIS. Copies of the
DEIS are available for public inspection at the BLM and USFS offices listed above.
If you have any questions regarding the NEPA process used to prepare the DEIS or need
additional information regarding the project, please contact Tom Hurshman at [phone].
Sincerely,
Robert A. Bennett
State Director

ABSTRACT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
OVERLAND PASS PIPELINE PROJECT
(X) Draft Final
( )
Lead Agency: The United States Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Rawlins Field Office
Project Location: Lincoln, Sweetwater, Carbon, Albany, and Laramie
counties, Wyoming; Larimer, Weld, Morgan, Logan,
Washington, and Yuma counties, Colorado; and
Cheyenne, Rawlins, Thomas, Sheridan, Gove, Trego,
Ellis, Russell, Barton, Ellsworth, Rice, and McPherson
counties, Kansas
Address Comments
on this EIS to: Bureau of Land Management
Attention: Chuck Valentine, Realty Specialist
1300 North Third Street
WY
Rawlins, 82301
or
Email: [email protected]
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has received a proposal from the Overland Pass
Pipeline Company LLC (Overland Pass), a subsidiary of ONEOK and William’s Field Service
Company, LLC (Williams), to construct and operate an approximately 760-mile-long pipeline that
would begin at existing facilities in Opal, Wyoming, and end at existing facilities in Conway,
Kansas. The project would transport up to 150,000 barrels per day of natural gas liquids.
The project would cross federal lands managed by the BLM and U.S. Department of Agriculture
Forest Service (USFS). The project would affect land in three BLM field offices in Wyoming: the
Kemmerer, Rock Springs, and Rawlins field offices. The project also would cross National Forest
System lands within the Flaming Gorge National Recreational Area in Wyoming and the Pawnee
National Grassland in Colorado.
The pipeline would be approximately 14-inch-diameter between Opal and Echo Springs,
Wyoming, and 16-inch-diameter from Echo Springs, Wyoming, to Conway, Kansas. Overland
Pass would construct the new pipeline within a temporary 75-foot-wide construction right-of-way
ROW
(ROW). After construction and reclamation, the permanent would be 50 feet wide, centered
on the pipeline.
In addition to the pipeline, the project would require additional aboveground facilities including
2 pump stations (and 1 future pump station), 7 meter stations, 1 1 pigging facilities, and
144 mainline valves at 92 sites. The pipeline and aboveground facilities would be constructed in
accordance to federal pipeline safety regulations.
New electrical service would be required for the pump and meter stations, though the powerlines
would be permitted under a separate permitting process.
Three alternatives were considered in detail. The No Action Alternative is required by the National
Environmental Policy Act as a baseline against which other action alternatives can be analyzed.
Abstract
ii
Under this alternative, the BLM ROW grant to construct the pipeline and its ancillary facilities as
requested by Overland Pass would not be authorized. Consequently, the No Action Alternative
represents the continuation of the existing conditions.
The Proposed Action would cause the surface disturbance of approximately 8,317 acres during
ROW
construction. Of this total, approximately 4,619 acres would be maintained for permanent
and associated aboveground facilities. To minimize environmental impacts, the Proposed Action
would be co-located with other existing utilities for approximately 623.7 miles (82 percent) of its
length. The Proposed Action would cross federal lands managed by the BLM and USFS.
Under the Southern Energy Corridor - Copper Ridge Bypass Alternative, the project would be the
same as the Proposed Action except that approximately 25 miles ofthe proposed pipeline route
in the Green River, Wyoming area would be shifted further south. The alternative route would
primarily be located within an existing, BLM-designated utility window, thereby increasing the
amount of co-located pipeline. While most aspects of this alternative (e.g., aboveground facility
requirements) would be the same as the Proposed Action, this alternative would be 4.8 miles
longer then the Proposed Action and would be located in steeper terrain, causing potential
difficulties for construction and restoration.
The BLM Preferred Alternative is the Proposed Action.
Summary
Executive
Introduction
Overland Pass Pipeline Company LLC (Overland Pass), a subsidiary of ONEOK and Willliam’s Field Service
Company, LLC, is proposing to construct an approximately 760-mile-long, natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline
that will begin at existing facilities in Opal, Wyoming, and end at existing facilities in Conway, Kansas. The
project would transport up to 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) of NGL.
The project would cross federal lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S.
Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS). The project would affect land in three BLM field offices in
Wyoming: the Kemmerer, Rock Springs, and Rawlins field offices. The project also would cross National
Forest System (NFS) lands within the Flaming Gorge National Recreational Area (FGNRA) in Wyoming and
the Pawnee National Grassland (PNG) in Colorado.
Based on the nature and scope ofthe Overland Pass project, preparation of an environmental impact
statement (EIS) is required underthe National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The BLM is the primary
agency responsible for granting rights-of-way (ROWs) across federal lands and is the designated lead federal
agency responsible for the preparation ofthis EIS. The USFS is a cooperating federal agency.
The project would consist ofthe pipeline plus ancillary aboveground facilities needed to support the pipeline.
The pipeline would be approximately 14-inch-diameter between Opal and Echo Springs, Wyoming, and
16-inch-diameter from Echo Springs, Wyoming, to Conway, Kansas. Overland Pass would construct the new
pipeline within a temporary 75 foot-wide construction ROW. After construction and reclamation, the permanent
ROW
would be 50 feet wide, centered on the pipeline.
Aboveground facilities would include 2 pump stations (and 1 future pump station), 7 meter stations, 1 1 pigging
facilities, and 144 mainline valves at 92 sites. The pipeline and aboveground facilities would be constructed in
accordance with federal pipeline safety regulations. New electrical service would be required for the pump and
meter stations, though the powerlines would be permitted under a separate permitting process.
Overland Pass’ Proposed Action includes applicant-proposed protection measures for environmental
resources, including soil resources, water resources, hazardous materials, fisheries, and wildlife resources. In
addition, the BLM and USFS have developed specific mitigation measures to further reduce the environmental
impact that would otherwise result from construction ofthe project. The BLM Authorized Officerwill determine
which mitigation measures would be attached as conditions to any Record of Decision.
Three alternatives were considered in detail: the Proposed Action, the No Action Alternative, and the Southern
Energy Corridor- Copper Ridge Bypass Alternative. The No Action Alternative is required by the NEPA as a
baseline against which other action alternatives can be analyzed. Forthis project, the No Action Alternative
ROW
would not authorize the grant and, consequently, the project would not be constructed.
Underthe Southern Energy Corridor- Copper Ridge Bypass Alternative, the project would be the same as the
Proposed Action except that approximately 25 miles ofthe proposed pipeline route in the Green River,
Wyoming, area would be shifted further south. The alternate route primarily would be located within an
existing, BLM-designated utility window, thereby increasing the amount ofco-located pipeline. While most
aspects ofthis alternative (e.g., aboveground facility requirements) would be the same as the Proposed
Action, this alternative would be 4.8 miles longer then the Proposed Action and would be located in steeper
terrain, causing potential difficulties for construction and restoration.
The BLM preferred alternative is the Proposed Action.
ES-1
Alternative Impact Summary
The following sections summarize the major findings ofthe EIS by alternative.
Proposed Action
The Proposed Action would include the construction and operation ofthe Overland Pass NGL pipeline and its
associated aboveground facilities with the implementation ofapplicant-proposed protection measures. The
following discussion outlines the environmental effects ofconstruction and operation ofa 760-mile NGL
pipeline permitted underthis alternative.
Air Quality
While the construction ofthe proposed pipeline and ancillary facilities would result in intermittent and
short-term fugitive emissions, these emissions are not expected to cause or substantially contribute to a
violation of an applicable ambient air quality standard.
No operational impacts to air quality are expected. Air emissions during pipeline operations would be minimal
since the pumps are electric and thereby do not produce emissions.
Geology and Geological Hazards
ROW
Project construction and operation would not alter existing topography because the construction would
be re-contoured to match the adjacent terrain. The project would not interfere with oil and gas drilling or any
current active or planned mining operations. Because the pipeline primarily would be located adjacent to
existing pipelines, construction ofthe Proposed Action would not further reduce access to underlying mineral
resources (e.g., coal, trona). Due to the routing ofthe pipeline and engineering specifications, it is unlikely that
the pipeline would sustain substantial damage from geological hazards. Further, the construction and
operation ofthe project would not worsen unfavorable geological conditions in the area. The project would
cross approximately 462 miles ofgeological formations that contain vertebrate fossils, and noteworthy
occurrences of invertebrate and plant fossils. Overland Pass has conducted pre-construction surveys and
would monitor pipeline construction to protect or recover important fossils.
Soils
Much ofthe Proposed Action would cross soils that have shallow topsoil, are susceptible to erosion, have poor
reclamation potential, or are prone to compaction and rutting. Approximately 2,903 acres of prime farmland or
potentially prime farmland on highly productive agricultural soils would be affected by the proposed project.
Measures to minimize soil impacts include erosion control measures, topsoil separation and handling
procedures, remediation of compacted soils, and application of revegetation seed mixtures appropriate forthe
climate and land uses. Soil impacts from a pipeline spill would be short-term and low in magnitude due to the
volatile nature of NGL.
Water Resources
The Proposed Action would require 97 perennial waterbody crossings. With the exception ofthe South Platte
River, which would be crossed by the horizontal directional drill (HDD) crossing method, all other perennial
waterbodies would be open-cut in accordance with the general procedures identified in the project-specific
Plan of Development (POD) and site-specific waterbody crossing plans. While impacts to most waterbody
crossings would be mitigated by the implementation ofthe project-specific POD, open cut crossings at the
Hams Fork, Blacks Fork, Green, and North Platte rivers would have the potential to cause increased turbidity
and sedimentation; channel and bank modifications, and associated impacts to fisheries and other habitats.
For hydrostatic testing and dust control purposes, Overland Pass would use approximately 18.3 and
46.6 acre-feet ofwater from the Colorado and Platte river basins, respectively. An additional 34.0 acre-feet of
water would be withdrawn from private wells and 32.7 acre-feet from the storage ponds at the ONEOK
ES-2